Nosiphiwo Mzamo: South Africa’s State Diamond Trader to buy diamonds from other African countries

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) is set to buy diamonds from other African countries starting with Botswana. SDT’s chief executive Nosiphiwo Mzamo told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa at the country’s inaugural diamond show, which...

10 february 2025

Edahn Golan: Halo effect from lab-grown diamonds driving high demand for large, 2-carat natural stones in the U.S.

Edahn Golan, owner of the eponymous Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data, told Rough & Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that their research found a halo effect from lab-grown diamonds. He said the trend among lab-grown diamond...

27 january 2025

Paul Zimnisky: We will see a modest recovery in natural diamond demand and prices in 2025

According to Paul Zimnisky, an independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant based in the New York metro area, the natural diamond industry will see a modest recovery in demand and prices this year. Zimnisky said a moderate recovery would...

13 january 2025

African Diamond Council makes traceability its top priority, wants KP to embrace Authentia.io

The African Diamond Council (ADC) has made traceability its foremost priority and has been contributing to a traceability solution called Authentia.io for the last three and a half years, which is now ready to globally satisfy the traceability...

16 december 2024

Gaetano Cavalieri: CIBJO leading the jewelry industry on critical issues

One of the gem and jewellery industry’s most well-known and respected personalities, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, has been the president of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), for the past 23 years. CIBJO is the oldest international organisation...

09 december 2024

Ivanhoe, DRC state miner set to restart Kipushi mine after 30 years of inactivity

18 january 2024

Ivanhoe Mines and the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) state-owned mining company, Gécamines, have signed a new joint venture agreement to restart the ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine.

The signing of the agreement heralds the beginning of a new era of production for Kipushi, which will resume operations 100 years after first opening in 1924 as the world’s richest copper mine.

“The restart of operations of a mine as emblematic as Kipushi after 30 years of inactivity is a strong signal of the desire and commitment of Gécamines and its partner, Ivanhoe Mines, to contribute to the DRC’s economic development,” said Gécamines chairperson Guy-Robert Lukama Nkunzi.

Gécamines will immediately increase its stake in Kipushi Holding and Kipushi Corporation (KICO) to 38%, then to 43% in 2027, strengthening its position in the joint venture. 

Kipushi Holding is a 100%-owned subsidiary of Ivanhoe Mines, while 

Ivanhoe Mines’ founder and executive co-chairperson, Robert Friedland, said Kipushi is an extraordinary mineral endowment, holding not only the world’s richest zinc orebody but also significant quantities of copper, lead, silver, germanium, and gallium.

“There is no better place on our planet to build a mine. This makes the Central African Copperbelt and high-grade mines, like Kipushi and Kamoa-Kakula, strategically important worldwide, especially in light of the increasing fragmentation of supply chains and the growing demand for low-carbon-intensive strategic minerals,” he said.

“The project is [progressing] ahead of schedule, in line with our track record of operational excellence.”

Friedland said Kipushi’s restart follows the timely and cost-effective delivery of phases one and two at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, with phase three ahead of schedule for first production in the third quarter of 2024.

Kipushi is expected to produce more than 250,000 tonnes of zinc annually over the first five years.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished